Wild Elephant Kills 70-Yr-Old Woman, Protests Rock Kerala

The elderly woman was attacked by a wild elephant when she was busy harvesting on her farmland this morning. Protesting against the rising human-animal conflicts, locals and UDF workers demanded a permanent solution to address the issue.

Kochi:A 70-year-old woman was trampled to death by a wild elephant in a village in Kerala's Ernakulam district on Monday. Following which, locals along with UDF workers staged a protest with the body alleging the forest department of not acting against the rising human-animal conflicts in the area.

According to police, the victim, identified as Indira, a native of Kanjiraveli village in Neriyamangalam of Ernakulam was harvesting arrowroot on her farmland when a wild elephant attacked her. The woman tried to escape but fell and was trampled by the tusker. The incident took place at around 8:30 am. The neighbours took her to the Kothamangalam Taluk Hospital where she succumbed to her injuries.

Protesting against the increasing human-animal conflicts, People led by Ernakulam DCC president Mohammad Shias did not allow police to conduct the inquest and staged a demonstration with the body. Protests were held in Kothamangalam city.

Mathew Kuzhal Nadan, MLA said UDF workers started staging the protest after obtaining permission from the deceased's family. Earlier, workers blocked the inquest proceedings and the post-mortem in taluk hospital demanding that forest minister visit the spot and come up with a permanent solution to solve the problem.

Last month, people had blocked roads for hours protesting against the death of a local forest protection committee member who was killed by a wild elephant in Wayanad's Pulpally. Ernakulum, Wayanad and Idukki have been witnessing recurring incidents of animal attacks.

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